National Collegiate Athletic Association

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The NCAA News -- October 12, 1998

Division I -- Financial aid group studies student-athlete benefit proposals

The Division I Financial Aid Committee, which met in Kansas City, Missouri, September 29, reviewed current legislative proposals as directed by the Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet.

The committee will report on these proposals at the next cabinet meeting, scheduled for February 18-19 in San Diego.

The committee also discussed several issues regarding student-athlete meals and expenses. These issues were referred to the committee by the Division I Legislative Review Interpretations Subcommittee.

The committee recommended that the cabinet sponsor legislation to permit an institution to provide student-athletes with a board plan that consists of three meals per day, even if the institution's maximum permissible board allowance for all students represents a less costly figure.

The committee also recommended that the cabinet sponsor legislation to establish a $6 limit on the value of the postgame meal/snack that an institution may provide to a student-athlete on competition day.

In another action, the committee recommended that the cabinet sponsor a series of separate legislative proposals related to permissible benefits for student-athletes. After receiving feedback from both the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the cabinet's subcommittee on recruiting, the Financial Aid Committee supported the following separate proposals:

  • To provide one spot on the complimentary parking list for a guest (must be either a parent or spouse) for every home contest in which a student-athlete participates.

  • To provide each student-athlete with additional complimentary admissions to one annual sports awards banquet each year. This provision would allow two additional admissions to be used for the parents of each student-athlete or three admissions if the student-athlete's parents and spouse attend.

  • To permit reasonable refreshments to be served to parents of student-athletes once per year when an institution hosts an educational session, such as one on drug-abuse prevention or agent contact. This provision would limit the refreshments to appetizers or a snack, not a full meal.

  • To permit transportation from the site of the competition directly to a student-athlete's residence -- instead of a central location -- in cases where safety reasons dictate.

  • To provide two complimentary admissions for parent use (or three if spouse attends) to a student-athlete being honored at a game in which he or she does not participate.

    The committee also recommended that the cabinet's interpretations subcommittee issue an interpretation or clarify the legislation regarding a student-athlete who has exhausted eligibility, who is enrolled part time in the final semester of attendance and who wishes to receive financial aid.

    In other action, the committee:

  • Reviewed data regarding the Special Assistance Fund and agreed that student-athletes' use of the fund should continue to be monitored.

  • Identified institutions that qualify for an exception to the Division I Minimum Financial Aid Requirements (Bylaw 20.8.1.2-(d) ).

  • Noted that the new chair of the Financial Aid Committee is Ferdinand A. "Andy" Geiger, athletics director at Ohio State University.

  • Noted that the Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet had requested that the Management Council appoint cabinet member Sandy Barbour, athletics director at Tulane University, to serve as a non-voting liaison to the Financial Aid Committee.